Paris

Paris managing partner Muriel Goldberg-Darmon has once again been named to the Hall of Fame for Stock Market Litigation, an elite distinction reserved for those lawyers at the pinnacle of the profession who are widely respected by peers and clients for their experience and impact on market-leading cases. This recognition underscores her expertise in handling litigation involving publicly listed companies, as well as AMF investigations and sanction proceedings. She is also recognized as a Recommended Lawyer for White-Collar Crime.

Partner Franck Le Mentec is again recognized as a Leading Partner in Transfer Pricing and International Tax, reflecting his position as a top practitioner trusted by clients and peers to advise on complex, high-profile matters.

Partner Vincent Desry is recognized as a Next Generation Partner for White-Collar Crime, reflecting his extensive experience handling complex, high-stakes matters. Known for combining technical legal expertise with a practical, client-focused perspective, Vincent is a trusted advisor who brings a thoughtful, solutions-oriented, and highly engaged approach to every matter.

The 2026 guide also recognizes partner Angéline Duffour as a Recommended Lawyer for Employment, highlighting her strong reputation for advising on complex and strategic employment matters. She is widely praised for her excellent client communication, deep understanding of business challenges, and ability to deliver clear, pragmatic solutions under tight timeframes. Clients note her exceptional availability, responsiveness, and proactive approach, as well as her strength in negotiation and labor court risk assessment.

Additionally, counsels Guillaume Guérin and Pierre Wolman are recognized as Recommended Lawyers for Stock Market Litigation. Counsel Saruji Sambukumaran is also a Recommended Lawyer for Employment Law.

Established in 2014, Cohen & Gresser’s Paris office provides comprehensive legal services on corporate, employment, tax, financial services, white-collar defense, and litigation-related matters. Our Paris lawyers work closely with the lawyers in our U.S. and UK offices on cross-border transactions, investigations, and litigation, delivering high-quality service to our French and international clients.

The Legal 500 EMEA guide provides annual researched coverage of over 80 countries and more than 2,700 law firms. The research involves a detailed assessment of various factors, including work conducted by law firms over the past 12 months and historically, experience and depth of teams, and client feedback.  

• Compliance – Internal Investigations (France – 2025): Muriel Goldberg-Darmon and Vincent Desry are recognized as Highly Recommended.
• Compliance – Compliance Programs (France – 2025): Muriel Goldberg-Darmon and Guillaume Guérin are recognized as Highly Recommended.

Congratulations to our Paris team on this continued recognition.

The firm received National Tier 1 recognition for its Regulatory and Tax practices, and National Tier 2 recognition for Banking and Finance Law and Labor and Employment Law.

In the Paris metropolitan rankings, Cohen & Gresser earned Tier 1 distinctions in Banking and Finance Law, Financial Institutions, Labor and Employment Law, Regulatory Practice, and Tax Law, as well as a Tier 2 ranking in Mergers and Acquisitions Law.

Best Law Firms – France is a legal directory ranking the top law firms across France, based on independent research. Its methodology includes confidential submissions from firms, peer reviews by qualified legal professionals, client feedback, and analysis of the volume and significance of work handled in each practice area.  

Cohen & Gresser is pleased to announce that it advised its client, Lupa Systems, on its exit from French digital media firm Brut, in connection with the acquisition of Brut’s entire share capital by CMA-Media (a subsidiary of CMA-CGM). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Lupa Systems, the private investment firm founded by James Murdoch, became a shareholder in Brut in 2021 through a $75 million (€63 million) Series C funding round. The round also included Artemis (the investment vehicle of François-Henri Pinault), Orange Ventures, and Tikehau Capital, alongside existing investors such as Alfred Vericel (co-founder of venture capital firm Red River West).

Cohen & Gresser advised its client Lupa Systems with a cross-border team comprising partners Daniel H. Mathias and France Portmann Loy, and associate Eleonore Messina. Brut was advised by Hogan Lovells (Paris) and CMA-Media was advised by Willkie Farr Gallagher LLP (Paris).

This partnership, “based on a shared vision of rights management: independent, expert, and resolutely focused on the needs of our partners and clients”, represents “the merger of two highly complementary players in the French music publishing industry”, said Emmanuel Delétang of 22D Music Group.

22D Music Group, founded in Paris in 2006, manages the catalogues of leading audiovisual producers (France Télévisions, RTVE, UGC, Banijay, etc.) and represents acclaimed composers and artists. The company also provides music services for films and series and has become a major reference in international music rights management.

Established in 2011, Velvetica Music is an independent publisher and administrator active in both audiovisual and pop music. It works with Gaumont, Pathé, and the band Phoenix, while also fostering the development of new generations of artists.

Cohen & Gresser AARPI advised 22D Music Group with a team led by partner France Portmann Loy, with associates Pauline Thuet and Eleonore Messina. The firm Cazals Manzo Pichot Saint Quentin (Thomas Cazals, partner) advised on the tax aspects of the transaction.

In a profile on Law360, Vincent was recognized for his courtroom skill and high-profile work, including representing former French President Nicolas Sarkozy—who chose him after watching his performance in a related bribery case. At 31, he was the youngest lawyer in the courtroom.

Vincent also highlighted a major victory blocking the enforcement of over $117 million in Russian criminal forfeitures in France, relying on novel arguments under Russian law.

Looking ahead to the future of his practice, he noted that as U.S. FCPA enforcement narrows, French prosecutors may play a larger role in global anti-bribery efforts.

“When you’re in the white collar space, you arrive at the most difficult period of someone’s life. They open their lives to you. They share their secrets. And you have to deserve that trust and do the best you can do,” he said.

“You can make a difference in someone’s case and someone’s life,” he added. “That’s why I do this job. And this is what motivates me.”

Vincent’s full profile is available on Law360.

This year’s list of Rising Stars features 153 honorees whose remarkable legal achievements far exceed their years. They were selected from over 1,100 submissions, with around five lawyers recognized in each of 34 practice areas.  

• Daniel H. Mathias | London – Private Equity, M&A
• Vincent Desry | Paris – White Collar, Cross-Border, Litigation
• Sri Kuehnlenz | New York – Litigation, White Collar
• Marvin J. Lowenthal | New York – White Collar, Litigation, Privacy
• Christine M. Jordan | New York – Litigation

This prestigious list honors lawyers who have demonstrated exceptional skill in complex and high-stakes matters, earned the respect of clients and peers, and are poised to shape the future of the legal profession. Honorees were selected through a combination of independent journalistic research, submissions, and peer nominations.

These recognitions reflect Cohen & Gresser’s deep bench of talent and the strength of our cross-border capabilities, with honorees advising on sophisticated matters across the U.S., UK, Europe, and beyond.

The publication highlights top practitioners worldwide for their exceptional work representing companies, corporate officers, and individuals in white-collar criminal litigation arising from business activities.

Muriel brings deep experience to high-stakes regulatory and enforcement matters, regularly advising clients in complex cross-border investigations involving financial misconduct, compliance breaches, and sanctions. Her practice includes proceedings before key French authorities—including the financial markets regulator (AMF), the banking regulator (ACPR), the national financial prosecutor’s office (PNF), and the anti-fraud office (ONAF)—as well as international bodies such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) identifies leading lawyers in over 80 areas of law across more than 150 jurisdictions, based on independent research and feedback from corporate counsel, private practitioners, and other market sources.

This development marks an important step in INTACT’s industrial project, which is expanding its financing structure to include several new banking partners. The total investment amounts to €70 million, bringing the total financing raised by INTACT since its creation in March 2022 to €125 million.

With this funding, INTACT aims to become a key player in France’s transition to sustainable production of ingredients for the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. By combining innovation and environmental responsibility, INTACT seeks to offer healthier, more planet-friendly solutions, contributing to the fight against global warming, the protection of biodiversity, and European food sovereignty.

INTACT, awarded the “France 2030” prize in 2023, is an industrial and technological company founded in 2022. It has developed a unique technology that transforms protein-rich leguminous, ecological plants into ingredients for the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries

Cohen & Gresser advised INTACT on corporate matters with a team comprising France Portmann Loy (Partner), Pauline Thuet, and Eléonore Messina (Associates) from the firm’s Paris Office.

About Cohen & Gresser

Cohen & Gresser is an international law firm with an outstanding record of success in high-stakes and high-profile litigation, investigations, and transactional work for our clients, including major financial institutions and companies around the world.

The Paris office handles all matters relating to Mergers & Acquisitions & Private Equity, Capital and Financial Markets, Regulatory Compliance, Labor Law, Business Criminal Law, and Tax Law.

For further information, visit www.cohengresser.com, or contact the office directly at parisassistant@cohengresser.com or +33 1 53 53 45 00.

Press

Cohen & Gresser (AARPI) accompagne INTACT à l’occasion de son investissement dans Intact Invest, sa filiale immobilière, en partenariat avec la Banque des Territoires pour un montant cumulé de 70 M € , Le Monde du Droit. 

Intact s'apprête à défier le soja avec ses protéines végétales, Les Echos